

High-speed debris strikes the Explorer and Hubble, tearing Stone from the shuttle and leaving her tumbling through space. Communication with Mission Control is lost shortly thereafter as more communication satellites are knocked out by the debris. During a spacewalk, Mission Control in Houston warns Explorer 's crew about a rapidly-expanding cloud of space debris accidentally caused by the Russians having shot down a presumed defunct spy satellite (see Kessler syndrome) and orders the crew to return to Earth immediately. Ryan Stone is aboard on her first space mission, to perform a set of hardware upgrades on the Hubble.

The Space Shuttle Explorer, commanded by veteran astronaut Matt Kowalski, is in Earth orbit to service the Hubble Space Telescope (HST). The film was also awarded six BAFTA Awards, including Outstanding British Film and Best Director, the Golden Globe Award for Best Director, seven Critics' Choice Movie Awards, the 2013 Ray Bradbury Award, and the 2014 Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation. At the 86th Academy Awards, Gravity received ten nominations, including Best Actress for Bullock and Best Picture, and won seven awards, including Best Director, Best Original Score, Best Cinematography, and Best Visual Effects. The film earned accolades from numerous critics and guilds. The film became the eighth highest-grossing film of 2013 with a worldwide gross of over $723 million, against a production budget of around $100 million. Considered one of the best films of 2013, it appeared on numerous critics' year-end lists, and was selected by the American Film Institute in their annual Movies of the Year list. Upon its release, Gravity was met with widespread critical acclaim, with praise for its direction and visuals. Gravity opened the 70th Venice International Film Festival on August 28, 2013, and had its North American premiere three days later at the Telluride Film Festival. Gravity was produced entirely in the United Kingdom, where British visual effects company Framestore spent more than three years creating most of the film's visual effects, which involve over 80 of its 91 minutes. David Heyman, who previously worked with Cuarón on Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004), produced the film with him.

Later, the distribution rights were acquired by Warner Bros. It stars Sandra Bullock and George Clooney as American astronauts who are stranded in space after the mid-orbit destruction of their Space Shuttle, and attempt to return to Earth.Ĭuarón wrote the screenplay with his son Jonás and attempted to develop the film at Universal Pictures. Gravity is a 2013 science fiction thriller film directed by Alfonso Cuarón, who also co-wrote, co-edited, and produced the film.
